Wednesday, October 29, 2008

We are firmly committed to a political solution says President Rajapaksa

"Let me reiterate that my government is firmly dedicated to a negotiated next answer - based on devolution of power and ensuring the democratic, political, counting linguistic, human human rights of all our Tamil brethren within an total Sri Lanka," President Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Hindu in an meeting at 'Temple Trees' in Colombo on Monday(27). "As President of Sri Lanka," he explained in this calm site, the official home of preceding Prime Ministers, "I am completely clear that there is, and can be, no military answer to following questions. I have forever maintained this. A military answer is for the terrorists; a following answer is for the people living in this country." Noting the lateness of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) in coming up with its final proposals, he asserted: "I myself will get responsibility of the political process and see it through politically." Emphasising that "our military operations are heading for wholly at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam" - a radical and secessionist organisation banned or designated as radical in more than 30 countries, including India - he rehabilitated his call to the LTTE even at this late stage to "lay down its weapons, give in, and enter the self-governing following process." Mr. Rajapaksa said that "the military operations heading for next to the LTTE are not future to annoy Tamil civilians or cause any harm or adversity to them." His government was doing, and would do, all in its power "to ease and make your mind up the dilemma of the civilians displaced or exaggerated by the disagreement." In adding to ensuring that food, medicines, and other necessary commodities were "within the arrive at of every one of our Tamil brethren affected by the conflict," it would reinstate "every civilian exaggerated by the disagreement in a fair and transparent manner." The Sri Lankan President expressed happiness over "the positive and positive outcome" of the discussions his Special Envoy, Basil Rajapaksa, had in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and senior Indian officials. He welcomed India's choice to add, as a sign of goodwill, 800 tonnes of relief material for the affected civilians in the North. He appreciated Tamil Nadu's offer to create an extra contribution to this humanitarian endeavour. President Rajapaksa put on record his respect for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, "one of India's senior-the majority politicians," and his approval of Mr. Karunanidhi's thoughts and proposals for "a just following answer of the current conflict within the agreement of an complete Sri Lanka." He said he would similar to to express from side to side the Government of India his wish to invite Chief Minister Karunanidhi to visit Sri Lanka. Asked about the contours of the political solution he had in mind, Mr. Rajapaksa explained his four 'Ds' approach - Demilitarisation, Democratisation, Development, and Devolution. When the 13th alter was introduced in the Sri Lankan establishment at the example of the Indian government, it could not be implemented in the North and the East because "there was no following will on either side to implement it." But as a political leader, he had announced his government's "intention of implementing this for the first time. We have given that vow to the Tamil people of my country and to the international group of people. We are going to do it. This is not to please anybody. It is my duty by the people of this country." Sri Lanka's fifth executive President sharp out that his government was implementing the interim proposals of the All Party Representative Committee. Within one year of sum the Eastern Province, local and local Council elections were productively held, a Tamil Chief Minister was in office, and growth work had been in use up on a main concern basis. He would now set up a group to standard the devolution procedure in the Eastern Province (against what other Provinces enjoyed).